Yellow Perch

Yellow perch are small freshwater fish found throughout North America. These brightly colored perch have a long body and slightly forked tail. Yellow perch can grow to 12 inches or more in length.

The upper body is greenish to brown, shading to lighter green or yellow on the sides. The underside is white or light colored. Yellow perch are recognizable by their pattern of six to nine vertical stripes that narrow as they approach the belly. The pectoral, pelvic and anal fins are pale-yellow, becoming bright-orange on breeding-season males.

Yellow perch are common in freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and brackish creeks. They are frequently caught in early spring as they school up to spawn. Yellow perch are also favorites of ice fishermen who catch them using small natural baits or ice fishing lures.

Other names for the species include American perch, ringed perch, lake perch, green perch or simply “perch”.